Can Anybody Recommend a Great VPN?

[jedimasterkyle]

I've been using ExpressVPN for the past 2-ish years and I've been happy with them. Super fast, simple UI and a good amount of servers and locations to choose from. Makes watching Seattle Mariner games possible lol.

Reading through the thread, I get why people might be a little weary to use ExpressVPN and their concerns are plenty valid. In my experience though ExVPN has been solid.

 

[Absrnd]

Hello all,

I’m looking for a VPN to install to my new MBP. I feel like every other YouTube video has an influencer recommend another VPN service and I don’t know which to trust.

Obviously one that is fast and reliable are preferred. Free would be spectacular.

Torrentfreak always makes the best VPN article to choose from

Choose your poison:

Which VPN Providers Take Privacy Seriously in 2024? * TorrentFreak

To help you pick the best VPN, we asked dozens of VPNs to detail their logging practices, how they handle torrent users, and more.

torrentfreak.com

 

[maflynn]

I switched from ExpressVPN over to ProtonVPN for a few reasons. I've been reasonably happy with ExpressVPN but there are somethings with them that are a little disturbing or at the very least I'm uncomfortable with.

I'm using ProtonVPN, partially due to the fact that I subscribed to their email service so since the bundle I chose includes the VPN service I might as well use it.

I don't hate ExpressVPN, it is indeed faster then ProtonVPN, but not terribly much. I do find Proton to better integrate into my system. Basically I don't even know its connected. I've had issues with Express where it would not connect at all.

 

[cubbie5150]

I stopped using ExpressVPN this past April with a few weeks left on my subscription. I've been using Mullvad ever since with zero issues, fwiw.

 

[CalMin]

My needs are admittedly simple, but I've been pretty happy with https://one.google.com/about/vpn which is now bundled with Google Drive (paid) storage. Works reliably on my Mac and other devices and I've since stopped my PIA subscription.

They don't have anything which gets around geolocked apps, but I rarely need that.

Folks might reasonably argue that VPN through Google still gives Google everything and, well, that may be true even though they say it's not. (Independent Audit of Google VPN - https://research.nccgroup.com/2021/...le-one-technical-security-privacy-assessment/). I don't really care either way because Google already has plenty of data on me. Same as my ISP. I just use a VPN when on public WIFI to help guard against snooping.

One of the main benefits of it is that I don't have to do those silly captcha's when doing a Google search for anything. With almost all other VPNs, I have to solve a puzzle when doing a simple search and that it really quite irritating. Not so with Google's product.

 

[Alex W.]

My needs are admittedly simple, but I've been pretty happy with https://one.google.com/about/vpn which is now bundled with Google Drive (paid) storage. Works reliably on my Mac and other devices and I've since stopped my PIA subscription.

They don't have anything which gets around geolocked apps, but I rarely need that.

Folks might reasonably argue that VPN through Google still gives Google everything and, well, that may be true even though they say it's not. (Independent Audit of Google VPN - https://research.nccgroup.com/2021/...le-one-technical-security-privacy-assessment/). I don't really care either way because Google already has plenty of data on me. Same as my ISP. I just use a VPN when on public WIFI to help guard against snooping.

One of the main benefits of it is that I don't have to do those silly captcha's when doing a Google search for anything. With almost all other VPNs, I have to solve a puzzle when doing a simple search and that it really quite irritating. Not so with Google's product.

I completely agree with your assessment. Many of the VPNs recommended here have a common issue: they heavily promote themselves through affiliate marketing. In reality, most of them offer subpar services, even including Proton VPN, which has its own set of problems in addition to being quite expensive.

I have firsthand experience with this matter as I've subscribed to 10 different VPN services and regularly test new ones. Nord, SurfShark, ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, and PIA, all of which dominate Google search results due to their SEO tactics, are simply terrible choices.

These VPNs are plagued with issues like endless captchas, IP blacklists, and inconsistent streaming performance. Their focus on profits has led to a neglect of their service quality. Consequently, I strongly advise against using any of these VPNs.

Proton VPN, although decent, still suffers from the same issues mentioned above and comes with a high price tag. I concur with the previous poster who mentioned Google VPN as an excellent value choice. It stands out for its lack of captchas, absence of IP blacklists, and suitability for torrenting. If you have a Google One subscription, you're in for a smooth VPN experience. Even other well-known VPNs with dedicated IPs can't match this level of service. Although it might have some limitations on certain devices and may not be the best for streaming, it's a solid option overall.

That said, I've also discovered a few lesser-known VPNs that were priced at around $50 for extended subscriptions until 2031 or 2033. Frankly, one of them surpasses Nord VPN in terms of streaming and captcha handling, while the other is quite similar in performance. I won't publicly disclose their names, but if you're interested, feel free to DM me, and I'll provide you with the pros and cons, costs, and where to obtain them. Otherwise, sticking with Google VPN is a safe bet.

My advice would be not to rely solely on Google reviews or Reddit even torrentfreak recommendations when choosing a VPN. It's essential to test various options yourself to avoid manipulation and misinformation. The VPN industry can be quite deceptive, and the true quality of a service becomes apparent only through hands-on experience.

 

[Absrnd]

I completely agree with your assessment. Many of the VPNs recommended here have a common issue: they heavily promote themselves through affiliate marketing. In reality, most of them offer subpar services, even including Proton VPN, which has its own set of problems in addition to being quite expensive.

I have firsthand experience with this matter as I've subscribed to 10 different VPN services and regularly test new ones. Nord, SurfShark, ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, and PIA, all of which dominate Google search results due to their SEO tactics, are simply terrible choices.

These VPNs are plagued with issues like endless captchas, IP blacklists, and inconsistent streaming performance. Their focus on profits has led to a neglect of their service quality. Consequently, I strongly advise against using any of these VPNs.

Proton VPN, although decent, still suffers from the same issues mentioned above and comes with a high price tag. I concur with the previous poster who mentioned Google VPN as an excellent value choice. It stands out for its lack of captchas, absence of IP blacklists, and suitability for torrenting. If you have a Google One subscription, you're in for a smooth VPN experience. Even other well-known VPNs with dedicated IPs can't match this level of service. Although it might have some limitations on certain devices and may not be the best for streaming, it's a solid option overall.

That said, I've also discovered a few lesser-known VPNs that were priced at around $50 for extended subscriptions until 2031 or 2033. Frankly, one of them surpasses Nord VPN in terms of streaming and captcha handling, while the other is quite similar in performance. I won't publicly disclose their names, but if you're interested, feel free to DM me, and I'll provide you with the pros and cons, costs, and where to obtain them. Otherwise, sticking with Google VPN is a safe bet.

My advice would be not to rely solely on Google reviews or Reddit even torrentfreak recommendations when choosing a VPN. It's essential to test various options yourself to avoid manipulation and misinformation. The VPN industry can be quite deceptive, and the true quality of a service becomes apparent only through hands-on experience.

You think us common folk have the time to "try" and get all that information about all the VPN's to do an in depth test ?

And yes I suppose there are more smaller unknown VPN's out there that may be better at certain things,
but how reliable are these unknown VPN's ?

The bigger ones that get promoted more, have a lot more to loose if they change their policy to hand over privacy information with the drop of a hat.

And Google is definitely the very last choice I would think about, when I am looking for privacy and anonymity on the web, when doing not so legal streaming or downloading.

You might not agree with me posting the TorrentFreak link, but I still have not seen a more thourough article posted about VPN's where you can read all the pro's and con's, and where you can make your own choice between the good bad and the ugly

 

[Alex W.]

Google has undergone thorough audits and has proven to be reliable on various private torrent community sites throughout the past year. Based solely on this track record, it's a solid choice. In addition, it doesn't offer port forwarding (no biggy for most), hasn't led to any DMCA notices, and doesn't trigger any CAPTCHAs on Google and Cloudflare turnstile sites - theirs one reddit post mentioning this but isn't seated in vpn failure user error is the causation. We've extensively tested this VPN on private trackers and discussed this over the past year, and it has garnered approval from many of us. The cost-to-performance ratio is excellent, especially if you already subscribe to Google One for a 'free' value added its 10/10

Only a few VPNs can offer this level of value (I know of 2-3 that can) - speeds are Med-high but performance in general where the VPN isnt messing up how you use the internet daily is where it shines; while the majority of competitors will try to upsell you on a dedicated IP, which won't often eliminate CAPTCHAs and blacklists with them. Google VPN just doesnt let you change location (unless you have another VPN or proxy to connect into it); but its solid for majority of VPN needs.

Until other VPN services catch up to Google's level in terms of bypassing CAPTCHAs and providing good value, they might not be worth your time unless you have specific requirements, most people also misunderstand VPNs in general thinking they keep you hidden... lol (they dont).

For those prioritizing security, consider Mullvad maybe proton. However, keep in mind that even with VPNs, you won't achieve anonymity. VPNs primarily hide your traffic from your ISP and thats it, and they won't protect you against advanced tracking methods such as SNI headers that reveal usage patterns, on the line snooping and mass surveillance. If true anonymity is your goal, TOR is the only viable option today, provided you don't use signed-in accounts and dont have a internet routine. And its completely FREE!

Lastly, it's worth noting that the torrentfreak link you provided appears to be motivated by affiliate payouts, echoing the content of numerous Google review blogs. It lacks credibility and appears amateurish from people who know how those review blogs and recommendation scams work, Torrentfreak has bills to pay and i get it. - they have great blog posts about news but do not trust them for VPN recommendations, infact i wouldn't trust ANY company who puts Express, Nord, Cyberghost, PIA, surfshark in the top 5 - best to completely avoid VPN reviews in general to have any semblance of reality.

 

[Bananasaurus]

The only two I can recommend are Mullvad VPN and NordVPN. Both have undergone scrutiny and audits proving their zero data retention claims.

 

[MacBH928]

I completely agree with your assessment. Many of the VPNs recommended here have a common issue: they heavily promote themselves through affiliate marketing. In reality, most of them offer subpar services, even including Proton VPN, which has its own set of problems in addition to being quite expensive.

I have firsthand experience with this matter as I've subscribed to 10 different VPN services and regularly test new ones. Nord, SurfShark, ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, and PIA, all of which dominate Google search results due to their SEO tactics, are simply terrible choices.

These VPNs are plagued with issues like endless captchas, IP blacklists, and inconsistent streaming performance. Their focus on profits has led to a neglect of their service quality. Consequently, I strongly advise against using any of these VPNs.

Proton VPN, although decent, still suffers from the same issues mentioned above and comes with a high price tag. I concur with the previous poster who mentioned Google VPN as an excellent value choice. It stands out for its lack of captchas, absence of IP blacklists, and suitability for torrenting. If you have a Google One subscription, you're in for a smooth VPN experience. Even other well-known VPNs with dedicated IPs can't match this level of service. Although it might have some limitations on certain devices and may not be the best for streaming, it's a solid option overall.

That said, I've also discovered a few lesser-known VPNs that were priced at around $50 for extended subscriptions until 2031 or 2033. Frankly, one of them surpasses Nord VPN in terms of streaming and captcha handling, while the other is quite similar in performance. I won't publicly disclose their names, but if you're interested, feel free to DM me, and I'll provide you with the pros and cons, costs, and where to obtain them. Otherwise, sticking with Google VPN is a safe bet.

My advice would be not to rely solely on Google reviews or Reddit even torrentfreak recommendations when choosing a VPN. It's essential to test various options yourself to avoid manipulation and misinformation. The VPN industry can be quite deceptive, and the true quality of a service becomes apparent only through hands-on experience.

If you will use Google VPN, you might as well not use a VPN at all

 

[Bananasaurus]

If you will use Google VPN, you might as well not use a VPN at all

Imagine defending Google when it comes to privacy.

 

[svenmany]

No matter what Google is offering, I won’t get in bed with the devil.

 

[Chuckeee]

The only two I can recommend are Mullvad VPN and NordVPN. Both have undergone scrutiny and audits proving their zero data retention claims.

I’ve been having compatibilities issues with NordVPN and my iMac M2 pro using Ventura. It works but every couple of days it stops and needs to be manually restarted. NordVPN works fine on my iPhone and on Intel iMac under BigSur.

 

[Alex W.]

If you will use Google VPN, you might as well not use a VPN at all

Care to prove this with a claim? Because you're 110% wrong; google vpns audit says you're wrong.
Infact i would say your comment shows complete ignorance to VPN audits as by your logic all VPN companies cannot be trusted.

VPN 101:

VPNs hide your IP from your ISP only, they do not do anything else beyond this; some will move your geo location and some use stealth methods to hide from hostile government ISPs. This is all you need the VPN to do and all it is doing; if the company logs you' you're screwed if they get a DMCA request from law enforcement - but VPNs have long mastered how to avoid doing this (any good one).

Mass surveillance avoidance and being anonymous isnt possible with a VPN only TOR - you can combine a VPN with tor but its less effective vs just using tor. Similar to any other VPN, your security is compromised the second you log into an account or access data you've done so on a previous account or browser or device you've used before.

The google one vpn has been security audited for logs and data retention and have been cleared it doesnt and cannot do this.

Saying any differently is not based on data itself and an opinion based comment; simple as that.
You're only propelling false information about VPNs and the industry to trap people into a super expensive subscription. Throwing Googles' terrible privacy record in regards to their Ads and Search and projecting this to their VPN is baseless as they are being ran open source on github for one, again they've been audited.

Public Report – VPN by Google One Security Assessment

During the summer of 2022, Google engaged NCC Group to conduct a security assessment of VPN by Google One. VPN by Google One is a service that increases connection security and privacy to end users…

research.nccgroup.com

NordVPN has been caught using google analytics within their VPN and website to track their own users with their advertising, all of Kape products have a company that has been caught embedding malware into software. Almost every VPN has some horrific backend story behind them.

With Nord they might not be logging you but someone else is.

VPN privacy: more than 70% of providers are breaching GDPR

Many VPNs don't take their users' privacy very seriously

www.techradar.com

Again, if you've fallen into the bs trap of fake reviews for affilate income - Nord, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, PIA are all TERRIBLE VPNs if you use them you're already in bed with the devil.


Note this: Almost everyone here trusts cloudflare or has put sensitive data through their network.
Cloudflare warp which is a free VPN service reports users for DMCA regularly today, even paid users.
Point is it isnt really about the companies history; its about what they do with said service.

Learn about the dark history of all the VPNs here:

VPN Relationships

I'm mapping the relationships between VPN companies. @sobeyharker I'm the Community Manager at @windscribecom

embed.kumu.io

 

[Bananasaurus]

I’ve been having compatibilities issues with NordVPN and my iMac M2 pro using Ventura. It works but every couple of days it stops and needs to be manually restarted. NordVPN works fine on my iPhone and on Intel iMac under BigSur.

It can be a bit fickle, but it works 90% of the time for me. Most VPNs I've tried don't work 100% of the time.

 

[Hele]

ProtonVPN—there is no better.

 

[Bananasaurus]

ProtonVPN—there is no better.

They stated on their website that they don't log IP addresses and if requested by law enforcement, they wouldn't have this information to give because they don't log IP addresses. Then an event occurred two years ago in which they gave the IP address of a Proton user when requested by authorities, and when the inevitable backlash ensued from this incident, they promptly removed the part of their website in which they stated they don't log IP addresses. Proton is a shady company and ProtoVPN is hardly what I would call the pinnacle of VPNs.

 

[confirmed]

They stated on their website that they don't log IP addresses and if requested by law enforcement, they wouldn't have this information to give because they don't log IP addresses. Then an event occurred two years ago in which they gave the IP address of a Proton user when requested by authorities, and when the inevitable backlash ensued from this incident, they promptly removed the part of their website in which they stated they don't log IP addresses. Proton is a shady company and ProtoVPN is hardly what I would call the pinnacle of VPNs.

This incident and the data provided to French authorities was related to ProtonMail, not ProtonVPN. While they are required by law to log IP addresses for account access on ProtonMail, there is no such requirement for ProtonVPN. It has been reported that had this user utilized ProtonVPN whenever accessing ProtonMail, they would not have been able to provide the user's IP address.

 

[Bananasaurus]

This incident and the data provided to French authorities was related to ProtonMail, not ProtonVPN. While they are required by law to log IP addresses for account access on ProtonMail, there is no such requirement for ProtonVPN. It has been reported that had this user utilized ProtonVPN whenever accessing ProtonMail, they would not have been able to provide the user's IP address.

Of course. That's totally information you can trust after they blatantly lied about one of their services. Think about what you just said. They said they don't log IPs for ProtonMail. You just said they wouldn't have been able to access the IP if he had been using ProtonVPN. But they stated previously that if they were asked to, they wouldn't be able to track a user's IP address in ProtonMail because they don't log IP addresses. This isn't logical.

 

[MacBH928]

Care to prove this with a claim? Because you're 110% wrong; google vpns audit says you're wrong.
Infact i would say your comment shows complete ignorance to VPN audits as by your logic all VPN companies cannot be trusted.

VPN 101:

VPNs hide your IP from your ISP only, they do not do anything else beyond this; some will move your geo location and some use stealth methods to hide from hostile government ISPs. This is all you need the VPN to do and all it is doing; if the company logs you' you're screwed if they get a DMCA request from law enforcement - but VPNs have long mastered how to avoid doing this (any good one).

Mass surveillance avoidance and being anonymous isnt possible with a VPN only TOR - you can combine a VPN with tor but its less effective vs just using tor. Similar to any other VPN, your security is compromised the second you log into an account or access data you've done so on a previous account or browser or device you've used before.

The google one vpn has been security audited for logs and data retention and have been cleared it doesnt and cannot do this.

Saying any differently is not based on data itself and an opinion based comment; simple as that.
You're only propelling false information about VPNs and the industry to trap people into a super expensive subscription. Throwing Googles' terrible privacy record in regards to their Ads and Search and projecting this to their VPN is baseless as they are being ran open source on github for one, again they've been audited.

Public Report – VPN by Google One Security Assessment

During the summer of 2022, Google engaged NCC Group to conduct a security assessment of VPN by Google One. VPN by Google One is a service that increases connection security and privacy to end users…

research.nccgroup.com

NordVPN has been caught using google analytics within their VPN and website to track their own users with their advertising, all of Kape products have a company that has been caught embedding malware into software. Almost every VPN has some horrific backend story behind them.

With Nord they might not be logging you but someone else is.

VPN privacy: more than 70% of providers are breaching GDPR

Many VPNs don't take their users' privacy very seriously

www.techradar.com

Again, if you've fallen into the bs trap of fake reviews for affilate income - Nord, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, PIA are all TERRIBLE VPNs if you use them you're already in bed with the devil.


Note this: Almost everyone here trusts cloudflare or has put sensitive data through their network.
Cloudflare warp which is a free VPN service reports users for DMCA regularly today, even paid users.
Point is it isnt really about the companies history; its about what they do with said service.

Learn about the dark history of all the VPNs here:

VPN Relationships

I'm mapping the relationships between VPN companies. @sobeyharker I'm the Community Manager at @windscribecom

embed.kumu.io

I do not trust the reports that says Google VPN is safe. Google is a data collecting , privacy breaching, ad serving company.

Proton and Mullvad only way of making money through their paid users. They do not collect data, they do not serve ads.

Yes not all VPN providers are reputable, thats why we specifically mention Mullvad and Proton.

Of course. That's totally information you can trust after they blatantly lied about one of their services. Think about what you just said. They said they don't log IPs for ProtonMail. You just said they wouldn't have been able to access the IP if he had been using ProtonVPN. But they stated previously that if they were asked to, they wouldn't be able to track a user's IP address in ProtonMail because they don't log IP addresses. This isn't logical.

What I understood from them is they do not log user activity using their VPN. I am not sure if they log the IP address you use. Either way, logging the IP address is pretty harmless IMO unless you do not want the gov. to know your location...at that point you have bigger issues.

Plus logging the IP address my be required by law, so there is nothing they can do about it.

As for Google, they pretty much know when you sleep...


"We Know Where You Are. We Know Where You've Been. We Can More Or Less Know What You're Thinking About."

“If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place,"

-Eric Schmidt, Google's x-CEO

 

[Bananasaurus]

What I understood from them is they do not log user activity using their VPN. I am not sure if they log the IP address you use. Either way, logging the IP address is pretty harmless IMO unless you do not want the gov. to know your location...at that point you have bigger issues.

Plus logging the IP address my be required by law, so there is nothing they can do about it.

As for Google, they pretty much know when you sleep...


"We Know Where You Are. We Know Where You've Been. We Can More Or Less Know What You're Thinking About."

“If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place,"

-Eric Schmidt, Google's x-CEO

They said they never log IP addresses on ProtonMail. That if asked, they would not be able to divulge that information because they don't have it. They logged someone's IP address when asked. They then removed their statement on their website that said they never log IP addresses. This is all you need to know about them. I don't know what else to say. Yes, they do need to comply with the laws of their country. But they made a claim that was a blatant lie. Nobody should be committing crimes. But this isn't about hiding nefarious activity. It's about making a statement of privacy that was never true in the first place.

 

[MacBH928]

They said they never log IP addresses on ProtonMail. That if asked, they would not be able to divulge that information because they don't have it. They logged someone's IP address when asked. They then removed their statement on their website that said they never log IP addresses. This is all you need to know about them. I don't know what else to say. Yes, they do need to comply with the laws of their country. But they made a claim that was a blatant lie. Nobody should be committing crimes. But this isn't about hiding nefarious activity. It's about making a statement of privacy that was never true in the first place.

I can't confirm or deny if they said that because I didn't read it, but I am willing to let it slip. I only imagine that they did indeed not log IPs but were surprised that if asked by the government they must do it, so they did and removed that statement from their website.

You can think what you want about them, but I won't label them as a malicious company for that. We all make mistakes.

 

[Bananasaurus]

I can't confirm or deny if they said that because I didn't read it, but I am willing to let it slip. I only imagine that they did indeed not log IPs but were surprised that if asked by the government they must do it, so they did and removed that statement from their website.

You can think what you want about them, but I won't label them as a malicious company for that. We all make mistakes.

I CAN confirm it, because I did read it. And I read their response to it and their response was to make all kinds of ridiculous excuses for it.

 

[Hele]

Of course. That's totally information you can trust after they blatantly lied about one of their services. Think about what you just said. They said they don't log IPs for ProtonMail. You just said they wouldn't have been able to access the IP if he had been using ProtonVPN. But they stated previously that if they were asked to, they wouldn't be able to track a user's IP address in ProtonMail because they don't log IP addresses. This isn't logical.

Proton is based in Switzerland. Swiss law requires companies to log email IP addresses, not VPN IP addresses. If a user uses a VPN to access his email, then a company does not have to log.

 

[Hele]

Important clarifications regarding arrest of climate activist | Proton

We would like to provide important clarifications regarding the case of the climate activist who was arrested by French police.

proton.me